Cabrini shooting the latest in spree

Flight attendant was gang victim

August 02, 2001|By Sean D. Hamill, Tribune staff reporter.

The stray bullet that hit a flight attendant Monday as she rode on a bus near Cabrini-Green was just the latest in three weeks of shootings spurred by a power struggle within the ranks of one of the city's most notorious gangs, Chicago police said Wednesday.

Though no one has been arrested in any of the shootings during the battle within the Gangster Disciples street gang, Belmont Area Deputy Chief James Maurer said the violence will stop.

"We're going to shut them down," he said after a news conference in Cabrini-Green by area ministers, community activists, police and politicians who called for an end to the shootings. "This won't be tolerated."

Maurer said up to 10 officers have been posted at each of the seven white brick high-rises of the William Green Homes portion of the Cabrini-Green housing complex, where nearly all of the shootings have occurred.

Police say there have been at least seven shootings in the last three weeks in which someone was injured; Marvin Edwards, president of the organization that manages the Green Homes, said there have been 12 people injured in shootings. No one has been killed in any of those shootings.

The latest shooting victim was a 23-year-old Continental Airlines flight attendant from Houston who was hit at 4:45 a.m. Monday in the right buttock as she sat in a bus shuttling her and other crew members from their hotel to O'Hare International Airport.

The bullet exited the woman's left hip. She was treated Monday at St. Mary of Nazareth Hospital Center, where she remained in good condition Wednesday.

Ministers encouraged Cabrini residents who may be reluctant to name shooting suspects to pass names on to them.

"We desire to reestablish a sense of calm and community in the midst of the recent, unfortunate attacks," said Rev. Steve Pedigo of the Near North Ministry Alliance. "We are willing to make ourselves available in order to help bring an end to the violence and restore peace."

Police and residents said the drug trade in the Green Homes is controlled by the Gangster Disciples. But since one of the gang's leaders, Ernest "Smokey" Wilson, was locked up on a gun charge a month ago, a faction made up of younger members has tried to take control.

Residents say shooting, including automatic weapon fire, has been heard nightly for three weeks between the buildings, which face a common square that includes two playgrounds and an elementary school. Edwards said 2,000 to 3,000 people live in 555 units in the seven buildings.

The shooting increased dramatically a week ago when another leader of the Gangster Disciples, Josephy "Cosmo" Ross, 33, was gunned down near Cermak Road and California Avenue in what police believe was an assassination by the rival faction.

Though the Gangster Disciples have been a visible presence in the development for years, Edwards, 33, who grew up in the development, said police are more sensitive about shootings in Cabrini-Green since they opened the new Near North Police Station across from the Green Homes in January.

"This embarrassment" of having shootings across the street from the new police station "is really working on them," Edwards said.